Frou-Frou Rainbow Sherbert Hat

Finished Object: DD's hat from Marnie Maclean's pattern here. It ate one skein of Noro Kureyon (Color 130), plus a bit of a second skein for the trim and flower. I made some modifications: cast on 94 stitches on size 8 circular needle to accomodate gauge and pattern, knit in the round instead of flat, and since I am crochet-challenged I knit the flower instead, using the Basic Five Petal Blossom from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments (page 23). Thanks to Marnie for the pattern, and thanks again to my KR Secret Pal for the Noro. Speaking of thanks, I love Thanksgiving. Not just for the food, but for the extended knitting time--I already have a good start on a matching scarf for the frou-frou hat (pattern here. Thanks, Susan).

Hats in Progress

After finishing up a little something for my Knitters Review Secret Pal, I've got a couple of hats on the needles. The one on the right is a blissfully basic roll brim using some Morehouse Merino I got at NYS Sheep and Wool (click and enlarge to note the ridiculously adorable point protectors), the other uses the Noro I got a couple of packages ago from my own KR Secret Pal. I started out with Amy's pattern (see post below). Nice pattern, but after a false start I decided to let the yarn do the work instead and picked this less complex one from Marnie Maclean. OK, I confess, after I started the cable lace part of Amy's pattern I had one, maybe two (maybe three) glasses of wine. Friends don't let friends knit drunk.

Secret Pal Swag!

My Secret Pal is the best secret pal. I got two gorgeous balls of Gedifra Cicco yarn (I'm planning something cowl-ish), a Tahki pattern book and a bunch of knitknacks both practical and poofy--stitch holders, sock-shaped point protectors, split ring markers, a pom-pom maker (tee hee), plus a pair of Crystal palace bamboo circs. Plus, my secret pal is psychic and somehow knew that the zipper on my knitknack case broke and I needed a new one! If I wasn't already married (and if it was legal in New York) I'd ask my secret pal to marry me. Hey, maybe my secret pal's a he and we can get married!

French Market Gris-Gris Bag

unfelted and somewhat forlorn

full and frisky

John Kerry walks into a bar. Bartender says, "Hey, buddy, why the long face?" OK, back to all knitting all the time.

So, I finally got it together to take my $8.00 worth of quarters downstairs to the Big Machines in the Basement (as opposed to my economically correct but knitterly useless Malber front-loader) and felted the French Market Bag; it's not quite as ooh-la-la as I'd like but still pretty cool.

Warning: More Political Content (and Crosstitch)

So, maybe I should have been more specific in my pre-election post. I cribbed this from the blog at Craftster because it says it all. And if I could have knit it, dear reader, I would have.

Warning: Political Content

And so should you. Please.